Launch Tomorrow!

Sometimes I feel bad about this layover in Ft. Lauderdale. It was expensive in the two things that nobody has an infinite supply of: time and money. Then I made a list of what we did. I don’t feel so bad anymore…except about the money!

(note: STS means that ‘Stem to Stern’ did the work)

Sanded and 5 coats of Cetol on toe rail and rubrail

Replaced plexi in 4 hatches and cleaned and re-bed (via STS guidance!)

Sanded and Cetol 2 of four hatch trim teak

Removed, cleaned and replaced stainless steel rub rails

Replaced rear seal on engine to fix oil leak (STS)

Rebuilt water pump and installed new impeller (STS)

Installed drip-less packing gland (STS)

Removed all the decking below and laid 140 feet of copper strap for SSB counterpoise

Fished wire for and aft for radio to tuner connections

Removed backstay and installed insulators for SSB antenna (STS)

Installed SSB radio in locker and head at nav station

Installed 12 volt refrigeration and custom exhaust fan in locker below galley sink

Made a cutting board to fit on top of the stove

Made a plywood support to hang dingy motor to rail

Built and installed four teak wood strips on transom to bear off dingy

Hull stripped down to the fiberglass and dried (STS)

Hull sanded smooth (STS)

Hull gets 3 coats of barrier coat and 2 coats of bottom paint

Straightened swim ladder and re-installed

Removed all plumbing from forward head and re-plumbed

Installed new ‘Mack Pack’ sail cover

Changed oil, coolant, and all filters

Replaced main sheet fiddle block with one with a cam cleat

New dodger, bimini, and binnacle cover. (Beaver Canvas – Ft. L.)

Replaced wooden deck fitting for propane cabin heater

Re-bedded two feet that connect binnacle to deck

Re-installed bow pulpit

Put the name and hailing port on the boat

Had new lifelines re-fit

Cleaned out both fresh water tanks

Fastened bilge pump and float switch to bilge (were not connected previously!)

Reglassed the foam rudder (STS)

Removed EVERYTHING from drawers and reorganized tools and hardware supplies

Worked about 50 hours for Stem to Stern and learned a TON

Non-Boat related…

Drove to Chicago

Drove back

Visited Tampa three times

Tried to keep the blog updated

Watched season 1 of ‘24’

Gave Gracie cheese

Went up and down the 15 foot ladder about 1000 times

Never got back to the beach

Whew! What next? Sail to Miami, drop the hook and contemplate our respective navels for a few days and then on to the Keys.

What did we miss? Well, since money is not infinite we left the following for another time…

new sails

replace all seacocks

install some solar cells

maybe a watermaker

Maybe next time we’re in Ft. Lauderdale…like in 2045!!

Here's some random pics of finished projects.

Our new SSB. Turned it on today and no sparks came out so that's good!

At the right...What can I say? It's a happy day when a man can install a dripless gland!

Here's our own inovation. The teak strips are not just decorative. For one thing the two central ones provide a resting place for the swing down boarding ladder. The four together provide some protection from the rubbing and banging around of the dingy. Oh, and of course, finally got our hailing port proudly displayed.

The two above show a little of the before and after of our teak toe rail. This 80+ feet of teak was mostly sanded and painted by SUE! Nice job!

So, as the porpoises said in Hitchhikers Guide to the Galaxy: “So long and thanks for all the fish!”